Another good episode even if the outcome was predictable. In the last week or two Alex has done one of the quickest Survivor transitions from likable to hate-able that I can remember. He may have overtaken Stacy, who for a while was erasing her witch-like persona but recaptured it with her "they'll be lucky if they eat" comment. All of his talk about rats and snakes and ethics and playing the game the right way and things coming back to bite you made me sick, especially when he went ahead and voted for Mookie.

I realize Alex is desperate and trying to stir up trouble but his Wil E. C Coyote Super Genius like scheming with Mookie was also pathetic. First, he and Mookie crossed the line by going through other people's belongings. Yes, it's a game and a million dollars is on the line but there need so be some sliver of ethics. Second, they came across like teenaged girls who just discovered that one of their friends' boyfriends cheated on her when they hatched their plan to "out" Yau Man.

INT. LUNCH ROOM - DAY

Lisa (Mookie) and Jen (Alex) saunter over to Justin (Yau Man), who is minding his own business and eating a tuna sandwich.

JEN
Hey, Justin. Guess what. We know a secret about you.

LISA
Yeah, we know you cheated on Allison with Emily and if you don't tell Allison, we're just gonna have to tell her ourselves.

JEN
Yeah, so like, what are you going to do about it, huh?

I mean, that was their brilliant strategy move? And I loved Yau Man's calm, disinterested reaction -- "Do what you have to do."

Wouldn't the better strategy move to have been to approach Boo, Dreamz and Stacy and say, look we know Yau Man has the idol. You guys are going to vote us out and then be down to six. Yau Man, Earl and Cassandra have been tight the whole way and with Yau Man having the idol, he has a lot of power. Let's switch up the game now. Let's form an alliance of 5 - take out Yau Man now (get rid of the idol) and take out Earl and Cassandra next.

Then we are guaranteed as a final five and you are at least in a final five (whereas you might be #6 in your other alliance) and there is a level playing field - no idol at issue. And, since you three are flipping to our side, you can take out us (meaning Mookie and Alex) and sail right into the final three, instead of likely being #s 6, 5 and 4 with your current alliance.

Are you telling me they didn't have a shot to sell that to Dreamz, Boo and Stacy? People love to feel like they are in control and changing the game. Why didn't they make that play instead of their snooping and high school I know your secret drama which only made them look worse and solidified the other 6 against them (in retrospect, after finding out that Mookie and Alex went through Yau Man's bag, that's when Stacy would have been justified in saying, they'll be lucky if they eat).

I really enjoyed the reward challenge and how by splitting the teams it forced rival alliances to work together or alliances to work against one another - like Cassandra horse collaring Earl and Yau Man trying to hit Mookie on an out pattern (Mookie didn't help himself by yelling at Yau Man during the challenge). There's no way Boo tore his ACL, is there? I tore my ACL once and you can't just pop your knee back in place and go on pretty much as nothing happened. I'd be curious to know exactly what he did to his knee, but if he tore his ACL, by tribal council his knee would have been the size of a watermelon.

I also like the battleship immunity challenge but couldn't believe how many people hit themselves - how hard was it to remember where you put your stakes/flags (whatever they were)?

The thing that bothers me is that Alex still could approach Boo, Dreamz and Stacy with the same offer I described above and it could totally flip the game. Yau Man Earl and Cassandra need to approach one of Stacy Boo or Dreamz and guarantee them a spot in the final four to ensure they have a 4-3 majority for the next vote. My guess is that they would be best going after Stacy who must think that she'd rather be in a final four with Yau Man Earl and Cassandra and Boo, Dreamz, and Alex because she would be the weakest physically in the latter group. If Yau Man and Earl are successful doing that, I'd see the next votes (not taking into consideration who wins immunity) going like this Alex, Boo, Dreamz, Stacy/Cassandra and one of those two in a final three with Earl and Yau Man.

Is there anybody on the jury or remaining in the game who would have a reason not to vote for Yau Man at the end?

Rich

04-27-2007, 01:04 PM

There's no way Boo tore his ACL, is there? I tore my ACL once and you can't just pop your knee back in place and go on pretty much as nothing happened. I'd be curious to know exactly what he did to his knee, but if he tore his ACL, by tribal council his knee would have been the size of a watermelon.

There are AMAZING properties to heal on the island! Wait, am I in the right thread? ;)

ajtrublu

04-27-2007, 01:19 PM

There are AMAZING properties to heal on the island! Wait, am I in the right thread? ;)